Sports

Macalester Student-Athletes Honored at Year-End Celebration

Story Links Click here to view Photo Gallery ST. PAUL, Minn. – Macalester Athletics hosted its year-end celebration on Sunday, April 28 in Kagin Ballroom. Seniors were escorted into Kagin by bagpipes and welcomed into the Macalester M Club by club president Steve Cox ’76. Macalester Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn […]

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1 month ago

May 6, 2025

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ST. PAUL, Minn. – Macalester Athletics hosted its year-end celebration on Sunday, April 28 in Kagin Ballroom. Seniors were escorted into Kagin by bagpipes and welcomed into the Macalester M Club by club president Steve Cox ’76. Macalester Vice President for Student Affairs Kathryn Coquemont addressed the student-athletes, while Director of Athletics Donnie Brooks served as the Master of Ceremonies.

Several awards were handed out, as Macalester Athletics celebrated the 2024-25 school year.

Doug Bolstorff M Club Student-Athlete of the Year Award

This award is given to a student-athlete from a men’s and a women’s sport at Macalester who has contributed the most to the team’s success through athletic achievement, leadership and academic excellence.

Men’s Team Athlete – Arlo Heitler, track & field. Heitler had an outstanding indoor season this winter, setting school records in the 200 and 400 meters, and earning All-MIAC honors in the 400 with a third-place finish at the MIAC Indoor Championships. His school-record time in the 400 qualified him for his first NCAA Indoor Championships, where he placed 12th to receive All-American honorable mention. Also an honorable mention All-American outdoors a year ago, he has set school records in the 100 and 200 meters outdoors this spring. Heitler currently ranks 26th in the 400 in Division III heading into the MIAC Championships at Macalester Stadium May 9-10.

Co-Women’s Team Athlete – Peyton Starks, women’s basketball. This season, Starks became the first Macalester women’s basketball player to be named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year. A three-time All-MIAC selection, she averaged 18.6 points per game this year, nearly three points per game more than the second-leading scorer in the conference. Starks is the only women’s basketball player to lead the MIAC in scoring for three straight years since the 1999-2000 season. Also a two-time All-Region player, she wasn’t just a scorer, as she ranked third in the MIAC in steals and eighth in rebounding. In 101 career games as a Scot, Starks scored 1,652 points to finish as the program’s second-leading scorer.

Co-Women’s Team Athlete – Verity Wray-Raabolle, swimming & diving. Wray-Raabolle had an amazing senior season in the pool. At the MIAC Championships, she won the 100-yard backstroke, finished second in the 50-yard freestyle and took third in the 200-yard backstroke. She also swam on four All-MIAC relay teams, including three conference champions, to help the Scots finish second in the MIAC, their highest finish in the program’s history. Wray-Raabolle’s 100-yard backstroke time in the 400-yard medley relay qualified her for the NCAA Championships, where she competed in three events. She was the only women’s swimmer from the MIAC to swim at nationals this year. Wray-Raabolle leaves Macalester having set two individual school records and four more school records as a member of the Scots’ relay teams.

Dorothy Michel Award – Peyton Starks, basketball and Livi Novello, soccer

This award honors the outstanding junior and a senior female student-athletes of the year at Macalester and was established by family, alumni and friends in memory of Dorothy Michel, chair of the women’s physical education department from 1946-1968.

Junior – Jess Palmer-Sammons was named the CWPA Most Valuable Player this season after leading the Scots with 49 goals, 65 points and 65 steals in 19 games. In a win over Carthage, she tied the school record for goals in a match with nine. Outside of the pool, Palmer-Sammons has a perfect GPA and volunteers at La Clinica, a Minnesota Community Care clinic that provides medical care to public insured or uninsured patients, in a Spanish-speaking community.

Senior – At the MIAC Swimming & Diving Championships this winter, Caroline Chapon competed in seven events and earned All-MIAC in six of them while receiving honorable mention in the other. She helped the Scots win three MIAC titles in the relays while taking second in both the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly. This year Chapon set individual school records in the 100- and 200-yard individual medleys, and she is a part of four relay school records. She’s also been on the Academic All-MIAC team twice.

David C. Primrose Endowed Prize – Tyler Edwards, cross country/track & field

This prize recognizes the outstanding junior male student-athlete of the year at Macalester and was established by family, friends and former students in memory of David C. Primrose, director of physical education and Macalester’s track and field coach from 1926-1954.

Tyler Edwards was the Scots’ top finisher at both the MIAC Championships and the North Region meet. He earned All-MIAC honors with a 10th-place finish at the conference meet, helping Macalester finish third for the team’s highest finish in 53 years. On the track, he finished eighth in the 5000 meters at the MIAC Indoor Championships in March. Also an excellent student, Edwards was on the Academic All-District team and was named an All-Academic Athlete by the USTFCCCA.

George E. Scotten Endowed Prize – Hans Haenicke, soccer

This prize recognizes the outstanding senior male student-athlete of the year at Macalester and was established anonymously by fellow class member of George E. Scotten, class of 1921, honoring the man who directed the Macalester Admissions Office for 30 years.

A forward for the Scots, Hans Haenicke terrorized opposing defenses for four years, racking up 35 goals to rank fifth all-time at Mac. The team’s leading scorer each season, he is just the 18th men’s soccer player in MIAC history to be named All-MIAC all four years. Haenicke also is the second Scot to earn All-Region honors three times. Also a standout academically, Haenicke is a two-time Academic All-American.

Rising Scot Award

The Rising Scot Awards were created to recognize a first year or sophomore from a men’s team and a women’s team who has made an immediate impact on their sport while performing at a high level. Sophomore and first year Rising Scots were honored.

Co-Rising Scot Men’s Team First Year – John Ihrke started his career at Macalester with a solid cross country season, helping the Scots take third at the MIAC Championships while finishing second among all first years in the conference meet. At the MIAC Indoor Championships, he was named the Rookie of the Year after winning the 800 meters and taking fourth in the 600 meters. Last week, Ihrke ran the fastest time in the MIAC in the 800 and currently ranks 24th in Division III.

Co-Rising Scot Men’s Team First Year – Kean Pajarillaga was named the MIAC Co-Rookie of the Year for swimming after winning the 200-yard backstroke and taking fifth in both the 500-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke at the MIAC Championships. He also swam on three All-MIAC relays and two school-record relays.

Rising Scot Men’s Team Sophomore – Kasdan Blattman has been a walking highlight reel since joining the Scots’ men’s soccer team as a central midfielder, confounding his opponents with his speed and skill. This year he was named to the All-Region second team, one of a handful of sophomores to earn the honor. He is also a two-time All-MIAC selection.

Rising Scot Women’s Team First Year – Ariella Rogahn-Press started rewriting the Macalester record book almost immediately, breaking school records almost every time she raced. At the MIAC Indoor Championships, she was named the Rookie of the Year after placing second in the 200 meters and fourth in the 400 meters. Rogahn-Press qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 400 and finished sixth to earn All-American honors. Outdoors, she has the nation’s second-fastest 400 time and is ranked 30th in the 200.

Rising Scot Women’s Team Sophomore – Tess Bojorquez has been a standout player for the softball team as both a pitcher and hitter, ranking among the MIAC leaders in both areas. She has the sixth-most runs batted in and the seventh-lowest earned run average in the conference this season. In Game 2 against St. Olaf last Sunday, Bojorquez pitched all eight innings and then delivered a two-out, walk-off single that scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning. The win clinched a spot in the MIAC Playoffs for the Scots.

Academic Team of the Year

This award honors the top male and female teams that achieve the highest cumulative grade point averages.

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Tennis

Kofi Kup

The award is presented to the winners of the annual Kofi Kup competition for student-athlete involvement. This year’s winning team is Women’s Basketball.

The Rider Cup – Nicole Norton, volleyball/basketball and Austin Mills, football/track & field

This award is presented in memory of Janis Rider to a male and female student-athlete who excels in two or more sports, is a talented scholar and involved in community service.

Nicole Norton – As a setter for the volleyball team, Norton registered over 1,500 assists to rank sixth in the program’s history. During her career, she went from starter to role player and back to starter and, according to Coach Mary Johnston, accepted her role and always put the team first. Each winter Norton seamlessly made the transition to basketball, providing toughness and skill as a guard for the women’s basketball team. As a senior, she led the Scots in field goal percentage. Norton also earned Academic All-District honors in both sports.

Austin Mills – In the fall, Mills led the Scots’ football team in sacks and tackles-for-loss, displaying a complete recovery from an injury that cost him the 2023 season. He was a disruptive force on the defensive line after transitioning to the line from the linebacker position. As a thrower for the track & field team, Mills broke the school record in the weight throw this winter and placed fifth at the MIAC Indoor Championships. Outdoors, he has the fourth-best mark in school history in the hammer throw and currently ranks seventh in the MIAC in that event.

Shield of Strength Awards

This award is given to a male and a female senior student-athlete who has shown commitment, leadership, and a strong work ethic in the weight room throughout their four years as a student-athlete; a person who has demonstrated the ability to be successful and help the teammates around them reach their full athletic potential.

Men’s Sport Athlete – Shun Mizuno

Women’s Sport Athlete – Madeleine Kemper

Iron Scot Awards

These awards are presented to those student-athletes who have met or exceeded strength and conditioning standards for their respective sports.

Baseball

Niko Alexander

Tommy Ball

Aram Dombalagian

Nathan Gumagay

Amrit Joshi

Evan Kang

Brandon Kim

Braden LaChapelle

Haruto Mizuno

Shun Mizuno

Bobby Munoz

Jacob Posner

Ryan Przespolewski

Elliott Rowley

Men’s Basketball

Armando Akapo-Nwagbo

Tom Andreae

Logan Davis

Robert Grace IV

Kyle Jilla

Noah Shannon

Eric Wentz

Women’s Basketball

Mary Daley

Acacia Edmond

Sydnee Smith

Men’s Golf

Ben d’Entremont

Jerry Miao

Women’s Golf

Ava Austria

Kirstyn Hope Barsola

Mia Cluff

Bailey Lengfelder

Football

Diego Agustin

Deijon Feliciano

Christian Jones

Riley Pearce

Men’s Soccer

Kasdan Blattman

Michael Myers

Keane Palmer

Sam Price

Women’s Soccer

Ava Arrendondo

Abigail Birkey

Avery Ellis

Julia Hanson

Annelise McGee

Softball

Safiya Butler

Sophie Futchko

Callia Holland

Alli Johnson

Martha Miller

Renee Nicholson

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Boden Allen

Charles Batsaikhan

Isaac Kisker

Peter Simpson

Ramier Villarama

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Caroline Chapon

Julia Goh

Sonya Green

Nadia Lanz

Abbie Martinson

Olga Merkadeau

Natalie Pollock

Claire Stretanski

Zahra Wooden

Anna Wurtz

Men’s Tennis

Owen Lindstrom

Women’s Tennis

Rose Burrow

Berkeley Cox

Savannah Haugen

Mary Jacobson

Elizabeth Trevathan

Megan Twomey

Men’s Track & Field

Arlo Heitler

Riley Hodin

Ataa Mensah

Daniel Powell

Women’s Track & Field

Roen Boyd

Tessa Myatt

Ariella Rogahn-Press

Seneca Wilson

Water Polo

Kendall Coney

Hannah Fasi

Mak Kratz

Myles Kratz

Alana Nadolski

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Naperville North water polo star Anna Tarantino continues to thrive on the west coast

Published

4 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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Collegiate water polo is a sport dominated by west coast schools and athletes. No team outside of California has ever finished better than third in the 20 plus years of the NCAA tournament. Despite the growth of water polo in the Midwest, 2021 Naperville North graduate Anna Tarantino knew she needed to head to the coast if she wanted to compete with the best college polo players the world had to offer. This Where Are They Now segment is presented by Grow Sports Psychology.

“I wanted to go to California. My brother (Jack) went to USC, and so that kind of opened the door for me. And water polo, we all know in Illinois is not the biggest sport, not very popular,” said Naperville North alum Anna Tarantino. “But in California that I knew I wanted to compete at the highest level and be a part of a great team.”

To prove she had what it took in California, Tarantino needed to prove she belonged while playing for one of the best programs in the state of Illinois.

Tarantino made her mark with the Huskies right away

Following a promising youth water polo career that began during the summers at Cress Creek Country Club, Tarantino joined Naperville North as a freshman in 2018. She spent the next four years developing into one of the top players in the state. The Huskies finished third in the state in 2018 and as the state runners up in 2019 with Anna being named first team All-State following both seasons. North entered 2020 with dreams of breaking through and winning the first state title in program history under legendary head coach Andy McWhirter. But the COVID pandemic shutdown the spring sports season that year, giving Tarantino one final chance to earn that elusive state championship with the blue and orange.

“I think missing out on my junior year and everyone the seniors that year that weren’t able to compete, I think we would have won that year. 100% full faith on that. But just totally drove us to be more competitive. My senior year, it had to be done. We were winning that, no question asked,” said Tarantino.

A perfect ending to a decorated Naperville North career

The 2021 Huskies backed up that bravado with a perfect 29-0 record, capped off by a dominant state championship victory over Stevenson. Tarantino led the state by scoring over 150 goals that spring and was named the Illinois Water Polo Player of the Year. After an All-State and All-American season, Tarantino was recruited to continue her career at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

“Going undefeated right after Covid, all of that happening. I think that year really solidified me wanting to take my water polo career further and pursue it as much as I could, and go to LMU,” said Tarantino. “I just think it set up such a strong foundation for me and how competitive water polo can be, but also how fun it is to be on a winning team and be a part of something. Our team was like a family. Honestly, it was one of the most fun seasons I’ve ever had.”

Success out west with Loyola Marymount

Despite being the only player from the Midwest on the roster, Tarantino has thrived, improving year after year under the California sun for one of the top programs in the nation.

“It’s really nice to be able to train outdoors in California. It’s beautiful, the campus is beautiful, and academically, everything lined up perfectly with my degree in education. I’m getting my four plus one, my master’s degree,” said Tarantino. “So academically, everything worked out. Athletically, it was just the perfect match for me. My team is really cool. Since I was a freshman, I’d say 70% of my team’s international. So I’ve met people from all over the world. We have an Olympian on my team. We have girls from really everywhere, which has been so cool to immerse myself in that.”

2025 proved to be her most successful season yet, setting new career highs with over 50 goals and 30 assists as the Lions won the Gold Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA women’s water polo tournament for the first time since 2012. Playing back in the Midwest in front of friends and family at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Loyola Marymount eventually fell 11-8 to defending National Champion UCLA in the NCAA quarterfinals.

“Just being at the tournament in general, being in that pool, swimming over the NCAA logo, our introductions. It was a dream. It really was,” said Tarantino.

With one final season in her water polo playing career before graduating with a degree in Elementary Education, Anna Tarantino hopes to end on a high note with her LMU teammates before returning to her hometown to give back to the game, the school, and the city she loves.

“I do want to come back to Naperville, and that’s been a lifelong dream of mine since, like third grade, to come back here and teach in an elementary school and to hopefully coach here at Naperville North. So that would kind of be my next transitioning into being more of a coach figure,” said Anna Tarantino.

For Naperville Sports Weekly, I’m Justin Cornwell.

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Arizona Names Andrew Dubs Track and Field/Cross Country Head Coach

Story Links For immediate release Date: June 9, 2025 Contact: Jason Corriher, Arizona Athletics (corriher@arizona.edu) TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics has named Andrew Dubs as the new Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross Country, Vice President and Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced on Monday. He takes over at Arizona following the transition of […]

Published

13 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

For immediate release

Date: June 9, 2025

Contact: Jason Corriher, Arizona Athletics (corriher@arizona.edu)

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics has named Andrew Dubs as the new Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross Country, Vice President and Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois announced on Monday. He takes over at Arizona following the transition of long-time Head Coach Fred Harvey to an emeritus role.

Dubs joins the Wildcats with 14 years of Division I coaching experience in addition to serving as the Head Coach of the USA National Track & Field Team for the past five years, during which he led the program in its World University Games competition.

Dubs was the Associate Head Coach at Virginia Tech for seven years after assistant coach stints at Iowa (2014-17), Harvard (2012-14), North Carolina (2011-12), and Auburn (2010-11). He helped secure 10 indoor and outdoor Atlantic Coast Conference team titles and three more Ivy League championships.

“Our model prioritizes coaches who are strong communicators, competitive, ambitious, and organized,” said Reed-Francois. “We want an elite recruiter with high expectations for all event groups who makes athletes feel supported and confident. Coach Dubs brings a proven track record of success made possible by exemplary preparation. His vision, energy, and commitment to student-athlete success—on the track and field, in the classroom, and in life—make him the right leader for the next chapter of Arizona Track & Field/Cross Country. We are excited to welcome Coach Dubs and his fiancée, Sara, to Tucson.”

Dubs has helped develop 79 NCAA Qualifiers, 32 individual All-Americans, 18 conference champions, and numerous all-conference selections during his tenure. The United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) tabbed 17 of his teams with its national academic honor, and he also helped mentor 23 of the organization’s individual Academic All-Americans.

Five of his student-athletes (two from the ACC, two from the Ivy League, and one from the Big Ten) have garnered conference Athlete/Freshman of the Year honors.

“I first would like to thank Director of Athletics, Desireé Reed-Francois, Senior Associate Athletic Director, William Wheeler, and the entire search committee for their efforts throughout this process,” Dubs said. “This opportunity to lead Arizona into the future is a dream come true for me, and I’m honored to follow the legendary Coach Harvey. Coach Harvey has built Arizona into one of the top programs in the country and has had a historic career. Throughout this process, it became evident the amount of pride and passion that there is for this program and the excitement to bring championships to Tucson. My fiancé and I look forward to moving to Tucson and becoming members of the Wildcat family. Bear Down!”

On the international front, Dubs has coached two Olympians, three national champions, one Pan-Am Gold Medalist, and national record-holders from Finland and South Africa.

A native of Holland, Pennsylvania, Dubs was a standout thrower at the University of Connecticut. He was a three-time NCAA qualifier and four-time Big East champion in the shot put for the Huskies. He was also an eight-time All-Big East selection in the shot put and twice in the discus. During his time with the Huskies, Dubs was an active member and president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Dubs earned a B.S in Kinesiology: Coaching and Administration from UConn in 2009 and a M. Ed. in Higher Education and Sport Management from Auburn in 2012.

—ArizonaWildcats.com—

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Why roster caps already fit with Iowa track and field’s strategy in competitive Big Ten

Why roster caps already fit with Iowa track and field’s strategy in competitive Big Ten | The Gazette […]

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34 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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Why roster caps already fit with Iowa track and field’s strategy in competitive Big Ten | The Gazette

The Gazette. Learn something new today and every day.

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Hopkins/St. Louis Park Boys Volleyball Set for State

1:44 PM | Monday, June 9, 2025 The Hopkins/St. Louis Park boys volleyball team upset Wayzata to win the Section 6 championship in five sets. That puts the Royals into this week’s state tournament. After years as a club sport, this is the first Minnesota State High School League sanctioned tournament, making it extra special […]

Published

35 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Hopkins/St. Louis Park boys volleyball team upset Wayzata to win the Section 6 championship in five sets.

That puts the Royals into this week’s state tournament.

After years as a club sport, this is the first Minnesota State High School League sanctioned tournament, making it extra special for Hopkins.

The Royals are 17-8 coming into the tournament and are seeded seventh.

They meet number two seed Eastview in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas.

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Hopkins High School

Volleyball

CCX News – Daily Sportscast

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Behind the Visor with Nikola Tsolov

Nikola Tsolov’s 2025 campaign has been a historic one as his Feature Race victory in Monte Carlo means he has now won five times in Formula 3 – the most by any driver in the Championship’s history. But the Campos Racing driver has a life outside of the records and recently he sat down to […]

Published

41 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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But the Campos Racing driver has a life outside of the records and recently he sat down to talk about what he does to keep himself busy away from the track.

STAT ATTACK: The key statistics from the first half of the 2025 season

“I’m very different on track and off track. I find myself to be a relaxed guy, who doesn’t put too much pressure on himself off track and I tend to like to go outside a lot.

“I spend a lot of time with friends, doing a lot of activities. I love music, I love other sports as well, so anything that is activity and music is what I am in too. Of course I do a lot of sim as well, because sometimes I miss racing, so I get in the sim and drive.

“It’s more normal stuff, padel, tennis, ping pong, and then obviously games as well, mainly board games. You get a group of friends, like 15 people to play board games, that’s quite fun in the evenings. To be honest I am pretty much down for everything, I love going to the beach as well.

Tsolov is a big fan of going to the beach and hanging out with friends

“I could play monopoly, but I haven’t played in a while. I don’t know if you know Dixit. It’s like cards, with drawings, it’s long to explain, but it’s a nice game.

“I think it’s good to feel like more of a normal person, to live a normal lifestyle when I go back to Bulgaria, especially with my friends. It’s quite difficult because I get recognised, especially in Bulgaria, so I can’t really just have my peace and do the things normal people would do.

Making history: Ivan Domingues Barcelona Debrief

“But it’s still quite good to take some time off. Go to the beach, play beach volleyball, swim, jet ski. I still get to live a normal life.

“In terms of music, I can listen to anything, depending on the week to be honest. I like to DJ a little bit, I’ve been doing it for three years, not very often, but my best friend is starting to get involved with music as well.

“I love listening to music, it brings me a good mood and energy, and it’s easier to get it, especially on a racing weekend, to get in the right mood.

Tsolov is big fan of DJing and learned from ex F3 driver Alex Peroni

“I like to be on the aux wherever I have to say, considering I listen to everything, I know all the good songs in every genre, so whenever someone asks me for a genre, I normally play a good one.

“I was actually DJ’ing a little bit at my own birthday last year, but I actually had some good DJs, some professionals came and performed, and it was great.

GALLERY: Some of the best moments from our triple header in Imola, Monte Carlo and Barcelona

“It’s something I learned actually from an ex F3 driver, Alex Peroni. He is one of my closest friends, and we used to do it at home a lot. It was quite interesting for us, and we spent some good times doing it. He got me into it, because he had a deck and only recently did I buy one myself.

“All in all, to be honest, I literally like most things, but for me the most enjoyable is when I get with a good group of friends and we just talk. We have dinner or lunch, play bowling, pool, or anything, just getting a group of people is what I enjoy the most.”

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WA Rep. pushes bill that challenges NCAA settlement, seeks fair pay for student

This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com A Washington representative proposed a bill that would help create clear rules for the compensation student-athletes receive, and how to better distribute the earnings evenly. Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, proposed the Restore College Sports Act to combat the settlement agreement in […]

Published

53 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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WA Rep. pushes bill that challenges NCAA settlement, seeks fair pay for student

This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com

A Washington representative proposed a bill that would help create clear rules for the compensation student-athletes receive, and how to better distribute the earnings evenly.

Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Washington), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, proposed the Restore College Sports Act to combat the settlement agreement in the House v. NCAA litigation.

“The House settlement locks in an unsustainable model that enriches the power conferences at the expense of everyone else—walk-ons, women’s teams, Olympic sports,” Baumgartner said.

The NCAA settlement

Grant House, a former Arizona State swimmer, sued the Power 5 NCAA conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12) and landed a settlement that ended the prohibition on schools paying student-athletes for NIL (name, image, and likeness).

A major component of the new settlement included $2.7 billion in back pay for NCAA athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024. The money will come from the NCAA and all its conferences.

Each school can share nearly $20 million of its revenue with student-athletes for NIL. The payments would come from media rights agreements, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

Baumgartner’s Restore College Sports Act

Baumgartner cited key issues within college athletics that contributed to a financial imbalance between the NCAA and its athletes.

“Power 5 conferences generated approximately $3.3 billion in revenue in 2022 alone,” Baumgartner wrote. “Average head football coach salary in Power 5 schools exceeded $6 million annually, compared to zero direct revenue sharing with athletes.”

Baumgartner also emphasized the impact that conference realignment can have on the academic performance of NCAA athletes.

“Overextended conference realignments cause excessive travel, undermining academic performance and athlete health,” Baumgartner stated.

Baumgartners solution

Baumgartner highlighted four key measures to address systematic inequities in NCAA athletics. The first is to establish a National Standards Commission.

“Create an independent commission, including student-athlete representation, empowered to set uniform national standards for collegiate athletics,” Baumgartner stated.

Baumgartner’s second decree is to implement equitable revenue sharing for NIL earnings.

“Pools NIL revenues nationally and redistributes them equally to all student-athletes—ensuring equal shares for high-profile stars, women’s sports athletes, freshmen in non-revenue sports, and team backups alike,” Baumgartner wrote.

His last two goals are to end exploitative conference realignments, and to cap excessive coaching salaries.

“Requires athletic conferences to operate within single time zones, drastically reducing travel burdens and prioritizing student-athletes’ academic and physical well-being,” Baumgartner stated. “Sets reasonable limits on coaching salaries, reallocating savings to student-athlete educational resources, healthcare, and support services.”

The impact of the Restore College Sports Act

The act aims to provide student-athletes with fair treatment, improved educational outcomes, and financial support.

Baumgartner noted that the bill would prioritize the welfare of athletes, safeguard fairness, and promote integrity for all student-athletes.

Baumgartner’s call for a Trump Executive Order

The release called for support from President Donald Trump to address the problems that Baumgartner highlighted.

“President Trump can step in to save college sports today,” Baumgartner said. “My Restore College Sports Act is the roadmap, with fair revenue-sharing, rationalized conferences, and reasonable student compensation.”

Baumgartner criticized the settlement’s failure to address key issues within college athletics.

“This settlement doesn’t fix college sports,” Baumgartner stated. “It codifies a system that will hurt walk-ons; squeeze Olympic sports, and hollow out Title IX-compliant women’s teams—all to benefit a few power programs and television executives.”

“In 1905, college football was on the brink until President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in,” Baumgartner continued. “He understood that leadership matters. Trump is uniquely positioned to do the same. He knows how to disrupt broken systems and restore competitive balance.”